Side impact crashes often occur when a driver changes lanes or turns when an object such as a car, motorcycle, bicycle, etc., is in the driver's blind spot. Many drivers adjust the side mirrors of a vehicle such that the sides of the vehicle are reflected by an inside (i.e., a side nearest the vehicle) edge of the mirror. This often leaves a large blind spot in which an object, such as another vehicle may be hidden. For example, this blind spot can be located between portions of the area surrounding the vehicle that can be viewed in the mirrors of the vehicle, and portions of the area surrounding the vehicle that can be viewed by the driver using only relatively small head movements (e.g., movements that allow a driver to look through the windshield and some areas visible through the front door windows). The presence of this blind spot can lead to crashes when a driver fails to check the blind spot prior to maneuvering the vehicle.
Many solutions have been proposed to solve problems created by this blind spot. Many drivers turn their head to check the blind spot prior to, for example, changing lanes, which can increase a risk of colliding with an object in front of the vehicle that unexpectedly stops or enters the vehicle's path. Convex or aspherical mirrors that have a larger field of view have also been used to reduce an area of the blind spot that is not visible in the mirrors of the vehicle. However, these convex mirrors have other shortcomings, such as increasing drag, being aesthetically displeasing to some, reducing an area of another mirror (e.g., if applied to the surface of a side mirror), and not being approved for use as a sole side mirror (e.g., using a convex mirror as a side mirror may not comply with regulations of a particular jurisdiction). Using a video camera that captures video of the blind spot and a display to present that video has also been proposed. This can be very expensive. Adjusting side mirrors to a particular angle to show what would otherwise be a blind spot has also been proposed. However, correctly aligning the mirrors to accomplish this can be difficult, and many driver's may be uncomfortable with mirrors in these positions, or may not trust that the mirrors truly show the blind spot.
Therefore, there is a need for systems for indicating visibility of a blind spot to a driver.